


Break a Leg!

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [359]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, M/M, Soulmate AU, although its temporary, happy ending of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 04:43:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6315394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Clint tries to not hear his words.</p><p>It's that horrible soulmate au where your soulmate's last words to you are printed on your body.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break a Leg!

**Author's Note:**

>   
> 

_Good Luck, Clint._

His words had always made him uneasy. Every time some one wished him luck, he’d flinch and stare at their retreating backs, wondering if they were the one, wondering if he’d see them again. 

In the circus, they taught him that wishing someone Good Luck before a show was bad luck, and Clint found reprieve there.

After the circus, no one cared enough to wish him luck or to ask for his name. He didn’t really care. He didn’t want one of these morons to say his words anyway. It was better for everyone that way. 

The day he met Phil Coulson, he felt something strange stir inside of him, like something had been lifted off of his shoulders, finally. But of course, he never told anyone that.

At SHIELD, everybody wanted to know the name Clint - which put him in an uneasy position. On one hand, people finally cared enough to actually ask for his name, and he’s made great friends with them, Coulson especially. On the other hand, he was back to the days of his childhood where he would fear every Good Luck wish thrown at him. 

It’s okay though, if he was lucky enough to get one of his new friends as his soulmate, he’d just be happy to have had the chance to know them. He told himself this after every ‘ _Good Luck, Clint’_  thrown at him.

At least he’s sure it wouldn’t be Coulson. Phil has never, not once, called him Clint while they were inside a SHIELD facility. It was always ‘ _Barton, Barton, Barton.’_  

It was bittersweet, actually. 

How ironic was it that the man he wanted least to say his words, was the same man he wanted so bad to say it? The gods certainly had a twisted sense of humor.

But Clint was a reasonable man if nothing else, he knew he didn’t have a chance with Phil, so he never pursued him. Never got him to say his name either. Which was why color him surprised when Phil suddenly blurted out “Good Luck, Clint.” from the floor of the Pegasus facility while he was settling himself on the catwalk hanging high.

Clint felt elated when he heard those words from Phil’s mouth, then dread when he realized that this might actually be the last time he saw Phil Coulson alive. 

“Phil!” Clint yelled from his perch, making the senior agent look up. He had to make Phil say something! Anything! He can’t let this be the last time he saw that smile. “What’s one plus one!”

Phil tilted his head in confusion, and as if understanding, he snorted and shook his head lightly before leaving Pegasus for god knows where.

—

As soon as his mind was his own again, the first words out of his mouth was Phil’s name. He jerked forward only for slender hands to push him back down. “Clint, it’s me, Natasha. You’re okay now.” 

He was starting to hyperventilate. “Wh-Where is he? Where’s Coulson?”

Natasha hesitated, her eyes growing dimmer by the second. “Clint, I-”

Whoever told you that the Black Widow didn’t give anything away is a filthy liar.

—

It’s been a few weeks since the Battle of New York. 

They won. 

So why did Clint feel like he’d lost?

He tried not to cry. He was stronger than this. He’s not going to let one man’s death ruin him. He buried himself in his training regimen. Pouring hours upon hours of range time to try and not think about what he’d lost.

He only stopped when Natasha has finally had enough. She squeezed his shoulder, letting him know that she was there. That no one blamed him. That he could cry. That he could mourn Phil’s passing. 

Clint’s vision blurred and the arrow already drawn shook in his hand. He let his hands drop to his side like he’d given up. Then he let his bow fall to the ground as he too fell to his knees with quiet sobs. 

Natasha clung to him, helping him ease the pain the only way she knew how, hugging him tight.

—

Clint hated looking at the words on his wrist. 

It was a grim reminder of what he’d lost. 

That was probably why it took him days to realize that a new phrase had appeared just below the words that he tried so hard to forget.

When he finally noticed the words, he rushed to find Natasha. Then they both rushed to find the rest of the Avengers. He showed them the words printed on his wrist and just like that, they all knew. Fury has some explaining to do.

_I tried dying before, didn’t really stick._

The gods certainly had a twisted sense of humor.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/141438054131/so-ive-got-to-submit-two-original-unpublished)


End file.
